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| Chittenango Falls State Park |
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Location:
South of the Village
of
Chittenango; in the Town of
Cazenovia; Madison County;
New York Maps: Google Map, Bing map (Bird's-eye), Multi-map (topo) GPS: Falls: N 42.97869 / W 75.84161 Park entrance: N 42.97776 / W 75.84440 Directions: Take Rt. 13 (Falls Blvd./Gorge Rd.) south from the Thruway (I90) past the town of Chittenango towards Cazenovia. Gorge Rd. cuts through the park and leads to the parking area. Or use Google Directions |
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Information Number of falls: 1, and some small cascades upstream Size: 167 feet Type: Staircase cascade. Best time to visit: Year round. Spring for better flow. Fall for beautiful surrounding foliage. Flow: Low to high. Waterway: Chittenango Creek, a tributary to Oneida Lake. Time: 10 minutes to see it from the platform near the parking lot. 30 minutes or more to take the steps down into the gorge and see it from below. |
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| Accessibility Seasons/Hours: Open year-round; from 8:30 am to dark. The gorge trail is closed in winter. Parking: State Park parking lot off of Gorge Rd. Admission: Free for pedestrians, $4 State Park vehicle fee. Free in the off season and not collected most days before 10 am. Handicap accessibility: Yes, to see the falls from the platform near the parking lot. Steep trails and multiple steps make the walk to the base of the falls difficult. Pets: Household pets only; caged or on a leash not more than 6 feet. Accommodations: Pavilions; restrooms; benches; park office; playground; hiking trails. |
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| Description
The trip down to the Chittenango Falls gorge could easily be depicted as a damp adventurous journey into a tropical, yet familiar jungle. The massive falls, with its numerous drops, saturates the surrounding air with the waters of Chittenango Creek, which on a hot day can make the climb all the more difficult. The plants and animals that inhabit the limestone walls are adapted to these humid conditions, and ferns and other moisture-loving species dominate the landscape. The park has unique plant and animal life including endangered species. The Ovate Amber Snail lives only under the rocks found in and around the falls. It is found nowhere else in the world. Also the very rare and environment-sensitive Hart's Tongue Fern and the succulent Roseroot can be found growing on the gorge walls. Both species are very rare and are found only in damp, rocky environments like the areas immediately surrounding the falls. It's very important not to remove any plants or animals from this park. It's critical that you do not cross the barriers at the base of the falls to get closer to it. Since the endangered snails live underneath the rocks, simply stepping on the rocks, can crush several of them. Chittenango Falls could be considered a staircase cascade, with its nearly even drops, one after another down Onondaga Limestone. The number and height of the drops, sends water flying into the air. In the creek below, the water then twists and turns around rocks and small outcroppings of plants and grasses. The creek below is dotted with large boulders and downed trees, while a few trails shoot off into the surrounding woods. There's much to explore here, but we found no additional waterfalls within the park boundaries. Looking at topographic maps, I'm sure there is more to Chittenango creek than what's in the park. |
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| Trails
Difficulty: Easy (to view the falls from above). Medium (hundreds of steps) descending 170 ft into the gorge. Marked: Wooden signs. Distance: Less than 1/2 mile. To check out the falls from the top, just walk east from the parking area towards the Gorge Rd Bridge. Follow the paved trail towards the falls. The primary trail leads down from the main entrance to the base of the falls. This winding path of steps is humid, uneven, slippery, and full of plant life. A bridge then takes you across the creek bed to the remainder of the trail, which climbs back up on the other side. Recently this section of the trail has been closed due to landslides. Following the road will take you to an overlook of the falls crest and then back to the beginning. An extension of that trail proceeds upstream under the Gorge St Bridge, towards the south-east end of the park, passing small curtain falls along the way. If you travel upstream you will find many small tributary falls emptying into Chittenango Creek. Map: Official Park Map (PDF) |
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| History Chittenango Creek has been cutting through the north end of the Allegany Plateau since the end of the last ice age. In the mid-1800s the falls were the driving industry for Chittenango. Numerous mills and factories were built in the vicinity, the foundations of which can still be found along the creek. In 1866 the Boardman family owned roughly 40 acres around the falls and had no problem with local residents coming by to enjoy the waterfall. Derrick Boardman was approached by a gunpower manufacturer who wanted to buy the land and construct a mill on the gorge. He decided to instead sell the land at a reduced price to Helen Fairchild, a Cazenovia resident, as long as she promised to keep it open to the public. Helen Fairchild formed the Chittenango Falls Park Association, which managed the privately owned park from 1887 through 1922, when she handed over control to the state. Since then the state has increased those original 40 acres to 194. The park once featured a campground, but due to budget issues, it has been closed. |
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| Do not
miss... The falls were sculpted by glaciers revealing 40 million year old layers of limestone rock. Look for coral fossils in rock layers as millions of years ago the area was flooded and tropical. Wizard of Oz writer L. Frank Baum was born in Chittenango. The L. Frank Baum Oz Museum is a worthy stop. There are yellow brick roads in Chittenango- although they are sidewalks, not roads. Alpacas. Not native to the park, in fact, not found in the park. But the Apple Ridge Alpaca farm in nearby Cazenovia hosts many of these unique animals. Stop by to say hello and if you have room in the car, pick one up. Website. |
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| Photography Tips ▪ The primary shooting location is a bridge at the base of the falls. The bridge shakes when people walk on it. It's best to photograph from this location when there aren't may people around. ▪ Down in the gorge, the humidity rises to nearly 100%. Protect your camera gear and be sure to bring a lens cloth to wipe the moisture off the lens. ▪ See the Articles section for more waterfall photography tips. |
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| Area Attractions Local Festivals and Activities OZ-stravaganza - (May/early June) Chittenango, NY Other Waterfalls Oxbow Falls - Canastota, NY Three Falls Woods - Manlius, NY Pratts Falls - Pompey, NY Tinkers Falls - Truxton, NY Other Parks Green Lakes State Park - Fayettevile, NY Lorenzo State Historic Site - Cazenovia, NY Old Erie Canal State Historic Park - Kirkville, NY Bed & Breakfast Brewster Inn - Cazenovia, NY The Brae Loch Inn - Cazenovia, NY The Lincklaen House - Cazenovia, NY Country Bumpkin B&B - Cazenovia, NY Restaurants The Lincklaen House - Cazenovia, NY Local Specialties Kimberly's Ice Cream - Cazenovia, NY Shopping/Antiques Land of Oz and Ends - Chittenango, NY Lamb's Ear Treasures - Chittenango, NY Cazenovia Artisans, LLC - Cazenovia, NY Old and Everlasting - Cazenovia, NY Museums L. Frank Baum Museum - Chittenango, NY Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum - Chittenango, NY |
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| Links Book a campsite at this park Geology Information Madison County Tourism Area Freedom Trail stops |
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| Contact Chittenango State Park 2300 Rathburn Road Cazenovia, NY 13035 Phone: (315) 655-9620 |
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